…always talking with my mouth full…

thoughts on Pride and Privilege

June 19, 2017

As a cis-gendered, white, bisexual woman, I must admit that I live a life of privilege even if I am not wealthy or well off. To be fair, I’m more well off now than I ever have been, but that is a digression for another day.

I am, in general, proud of who I am and I am privileged in my ability to be openly who I am. I live in a pretty liberal, mostly white suburb of one of the most liberal (as compared to the rest of the US) major metropolitan areas in a largely liberal state where I am more likely to be judged and ridiculed over my weight than I am for being a member of the LGBTQ community.

That privilege affords me comfort that I know many of my LGBTQ friends don’t share. I know that same privilege doesn’t extend to the transgendered family member, who is, like me, a white woman, but is also different because she is trans and a lesbian. I find myself excited that she has fully embraced herself and started to live as herself, and yet terrified for her at the same time.

As we head into our celebration of Pride this weekend here in San Francisco, I find myself looking back at the years that lead us here; from the first protest riots led by trans women of color in NY, through decades of fighting to be seen, acknowledged and accepted. From small parties to huge parades that declare our loud and flamboyant presence to the world.

Our struggle isn’t over, in fact it may be beginning anew. In many ways we have come a long way since Stonewall, and yet in so many ways we have so very far to go.